Abstract:

After an interesting experience with veterinary undergraduate students using Wikipedia as a transfer tool [1], we proposed a doctorate interdisciplinary and transversal course to teach how using Wikipedia may improve scientific dissemination skills in all areas of knowledge. The first edition of the Doctoral Course "Learning to Disseminate and Transfer Scientific Knowledge through Wikipedia", supported by the University Complutense of Madrid Doctoral School (EdUCM), was developed in the 2023/24 academic year.

This transversal training activity aimed to make science more visible in Spanish, increase the quality of the information available, and improve the confidence of Wikipedia users by publishing scientific terms created by experts in the field.

The course was taught online over five sessions, and 16 doctoral students from different degrees and all knowledge areas participated. Students understood the importance of quality in scientific dissemination and that Wikipedia can be a useful platform. Guided by the university teachers and supported by the members of Wikimedia Spain, they learned to edit Wikipedia and create terms related to their scientific lines of research or improve Wikipedia articles.

At the end of the sessions, 14 new articles were published and 3 Wikipedia articles were improved with new content.

The students evaluated this experience through a survey indicating the weaknesses and strengths of the course. Overall, the experience was successful; 100% of the students thought that Wikipedia was a good tool for scientific knowledge dissemination, and most of the students developing this course changed their perception of Wikipedia and were highly satisfied. Besides, most would recommend the activity and the use of Wikipedia to inquire for information. The students expressed their interest in continuing to contribute to the dissemination of science through Wikipedia.

References:
[1] E. Ramos, R.M. Garcia-Garcia, M. Arias-Alvarez (2024) Using Wikipedia As a Knowledge Transfer Tool and to Enhance Spanish Science Dissemination, INTED2024 Proceedings, pp. 181-187.

Keywords:

Wikipedia, knowledge dissemination, Doctorate, PhD students.